Lettering instrument



y 1963 c. E. WEST 3,089,465

LETTERING INSTRUMENT Filed March 4, 1960 FIG. 5.,

INVENTOR. CLARENCE EDWARD WEST Q MW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,0S,465 LETTERHNG INSTRUMENT Qlarence Edward West, Statesville, Nil, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Hunt Manufacturing (30., Camden, N.J., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 12,755 Claims. (Cl. 120-46) This invention relates to a lettering instrument.

Lettering instruments are, of course, well-known to the art. Further it is known to provide such instruments with a nib having a feeder which forms an ink reservoir. However, despite the employment of a feeder, the length of time which a lettering instrument can be employed without the addition of more ink is extremely short due to the fact that they use large amounts of ink in a relatively short period of time.

In accordance with this invention a lettering instrument having a nib with an overfeeder is associated with reservoir means adapted to refill the reservoir formed by the overfeeder whenever the user desires to do so.

It is therefore the broad object of this invention to provide a lettering instrument having a nib with an overfeeder and reservoir means for replenishing the ink held by the feeder.

This and other objects of this invention will become apparent on reading the following description in conjunction with the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a lettering instrument in accordance with this invention showing the cap separated from the remainder of the structure;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the instrument of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on the plane indicated by the line 33 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on the plane indicated by the line 44 in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is an additional view of the instrument of FIGURE 2 showing the relationship: of the ink supply tube and the feeder.

As shown in the figures, a lettering instrument 2 has a hollow casing 4- having a closed end 6 and an open internally threaded end 8. A plug 10 is threaded in end S, a nib 12 has a shank 14- which is retained in a bore 16 of plug 10 by an insert 18'. Nib 12 is a typical lettering nib and is provided wit-h a slit indicated at 2% and an upturned substantially flat end 24. Associated with nib 12 is an overfeeder 3b which has a foot portion 32 hearing against nib end 24 and a portion 34 which is raised above the surface of nib 12 to form a reservoir for ink and a bent back portion 36 which passes through opening 37 in nib '12 and lies against the underside of nib 12. Bent back portion 36 is held by ears 38, extending from portion 34.

An ink supply bulb 40* which may be, for example, of rubber, plastic or other suitable materials well-known for ink bulbs, has its lower open end 42 overlying a cup 44. The interior of cup 44 is connected by feeder tube 46 which passes through bore 48 in plug 10 to feeder 3d, the chamfered discharge end 5b of tube 46 lying against feeder 30. Bulb 44 cup 44 and tube 46 form in efifect a syringe. A pin 52 extends from cup 44 into bore 54 in plug 10 to assist in securing cup 44. The depth of bore 54 is such that it determines the proper position of tube 46.

Adjacent bulb 40 lies a finger 68 which may, for example be of spring metal. Finger 60 has a portion 62 which engages bulb 4t) and an inwardly extending portion 64 which extends into bore 65 in plug 19. Portion 6 has a bifurcated end 66 which engages a peripheral groove 68 in plunger '76. Plunger 70 is mounted in bore 72 in plug 1d and is urged outwardly by compression coil spring 74. Plunger is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the top surface of shank 14 to position it for ready engagement by the users forefinger during the operation of the instrument 2. Recess 73 for plunger "/0 is provided so that the plunger will not extend out as far as the outer diameter of easing 4.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the instrument 2 is provided with a cap 76 which is adapted to be secured to casing 4 by a pressed fit. Since plunger 70 does not extend to the outer diameter of casing 4-, it is free of cap 76. Cap 76 is provided with a clip 73 by means of which the instrument can be a secured to a pocket.

Operation In order to make the instrument operative, casing 4 is unscrewed from plug 10 and removed so as to uncover bulb 40. Tube 46 is then placed so that end 50 is in ink and bulb 40 is squeezed and released in order to draw ink into its interior. The casing 4 is then screwed back onto plug 19 and after the instrument is wiped it is ready for operation.

As ink is required in the reservoir formed between the overfeeder 3t} and nib 12, plunger 70 is depressed by the users forefinger which causes finger 60 to fulcrum about the upper end 80 of bore 65 which in turn causes finger portion 62 to be urged against bulb 4-0. As bulb 40 is depressed by finger 60, -a measured amount of ink is discharged from bulb 4b downwardly through tube 46 to be discharged at discharge end 50* and run into the reservoir between overfeeder 3t) and nib 12. Chamfered end 50 being in contact with overfeeder 30, the ink readily wets overfeeder 3t} and is attracted to the metal parts forming the reservoir. During this filling operation it is desirable to hold the instrument so that the side of the nib 12 on which tube 46 lies is facing somewhat upwardly. This facilitates the flow of the ink into the reservoir between the overfeeder 30 and nib 12.

It will be evident that the lettering instrument of this invention is markedly advantageous in that it permits the continual replenishment of the nib ink supply and provides a lettering instrument that can be used continuously for long periods of time.

It is not desired to be limited except as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A lettering instrument comprising a casing having an open end, an ink bulb within said casing, a plug closing the open end of said casing, a lettering nib having an overfeeder secured to said plug, a tube having one end connected to said bulb and the other end adjacent the overfeeder, a finger lying between said bulb and said casing, said plug having a longitudinal bore for the recep tion of one end of said finger and said finger being fulcrumed on said plug at the other end of said bore, and a plunger mounted in an opening in said plug which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the nib, said plunger engaging the end of the finger lying in said bore to pivot the finger about its fulcrum so as to bear against said bulb and cause ink to flow through said tube to said overfeeder and said plunger being recessed so as to lie entirely within the outer diameter of the casing.

2. A lettering instrument comprising a casing having an open end, an ink bulb within said casing, a plug closing the open end of said casing, a lettering nib having an overfeeder secured to said plug, a tube having one end connected to said bulb and the other end adjacent the overfeeder, a finger lying between said bulb and said casing, said plug having a longitudinal bore for the reception of one end of said finger and said finger being fulcrumed on said plug at the other end of said bore, and a plunger mounted in an opening in said plug which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the nib, said plunger engaging the end of the finger lying in said bore to pivot the finger about its fulcrum so as to bear against said bulb and cause ink to flow through said tube to said overfeeder and said plunger being recessed so as to lie entirely within the outer diameter of the casing and a cap adapted to be secured to said casing to overlie said nib and plunger.

3. A lettering instrument in accordance with claim 1 in which the end of the finger in the bore is bifurcated and the plunger has a peripheral groove engaged by said bifurcated end.

4. A lettering instrument in accordance with claim 3 in which a spring engages the plunger to bias it outwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 844,646 Bahr Feb. 19, 1907 2,582,391 Morris Jan. 15, 1952 2,878,782 Miller Mar. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,269 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1903 

1. A LETTERING INTRUMENT COMPRISING A CASING HAVING AN OPEN END, AN INK BULB WITHIN SAID CASING, A PLUG CLOSING THE OPEN END OF SAID CASING, A LETTERING NIB HAVING AN OVERFEEDER SECURED TO SAID PLUG, A TUBE HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO SAID BULB AND THE OTHER END ADJACENT THE OVERFEEDER, A FINGER LYING BETWEEN SAID BULB AND SAID CASING, SAID PLUG HAVING A LONGITUDINAL BORE FOR THE RECEPTION OF ONE END OF SAID FINGER AND SAID FINGER BEING FULCRUMED ON SAID PLUG AT THE OTHER AND OF SAID BORE, AND A PLUNGER MOUNTED IN AN OPENING IN SAID PLUG WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF THE NIB, SAID PLUNGER ENGAGING THE END OF THE FINGER LYING IN SAID BORE TO PIVOT THE FINGER ABOUT ITS FULCRUM SO AS TO BEAR AGAINST SAID BULB AND CAUSE INK TO FLOW THROUGH SAID TUBE TO SAID OVERFEEDER AND SAID PLUNGER BEING RECESSED SO AS TO LIE ENTIRELY WITHIN THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THE CASING. 